BOSTON – There might not have been a coming-of-age walk through the desert that showed Brad Marchand the right way to play his role in the NHL, but there were plenty of skates to the penalty box for him to contemplate his future.

BOSTON — The Bruins killed off the power play, just as they did the four others Toronto received tonight, but that didn’t mean the “throwing the stick” penalty against Brad Marchand in the first period was any less baffling.

WILMINGTON, Mass. – Knowing that Bruins forward Brad Marchand can be equally as sour-milk repulsive to referees as he is to opponents, it was fair to deduce that the kneeing penalty called against the rookie Saturday night was more about reputation than actual fact.

You never want to say that a 22-year-old player is entering a make-or-break season, but Brad Marchand’s 2010-11 season could go a long way toward determining whether he has a long future with the organization.

Marchand is entering the final year of his entry-level contract, and will have to show this season that he can build of the experience he accumulated as an occasionally-used call-up to Boston and a Providence (AHL) veteran last season.

WILMINGTON, Mass. — Instead of a brick-red, energy line jersey, winger Brad Marchand was one of four players wearing a grey jersey for Bruins practice today Ristuccia Arena.

Vladimir Sobotka, Daniel Paille and Michael Ryder joined the rookie in that color, and all of a sudden the speculation began. Marchand was surrounded by a two-row-deep scrum after practice in the dressing room and some were wondering what impact he would have if inserted for Friday’s Game 7.

Well, let’s get this out of the way right now before the Bruins even report to TD Garden for their morning skate in preparation for the final game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with Philadelphia. If head coach Claude Julien decided to pull someone currently in his usual lineup and insert Marchand, it would go against everything the coach has preached for three seasons. And it could also be like dropping a grenade into a bonfire and not pulling your hand out. (more…)

PHILADELPHIA – The decision to insert either center Trent Whitfield or winger Brad Marchand into the Bruins’ lineup in place of the injured David Krejci for Friday’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with Philadelphia should come down to just one number: 57.9

That’s the percentage of faceoffs Whitfield won in his 16 games in a Boston sweater this season. He prevailed 103 of 178 draws. With momentum in this series seemingly shifting on every faceoff, and mostly rolling in the Bruins’ favor, the Bruins are going to need to make sure they have as many men ready to claim an important faceoff as they can. (more…)